All in the Past, Chapter 1, The First Time, Kakurou fanfic
by Loveblood
Summary: Kankurou meets his love for the first time. A look back at his past.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – The First Time

"Hey! Kankurou-Chan!"

A nine year old Kankurou looks up from his puppet to see a scruffy, dark-brown haired girl about his age running toward him. She looks more like a boy than any girl he's ever seen, and her too big and too dirtied clothes don't help matters. She sits on the ground in front of him with a cute grin on her face. Looking at her with a dismissive grunt, he goes back to fiddling with his puppet.

The girl points to Kankurous' puppet and asks, "What's it's name?"

Without looking up he replies, "He doesn't have one."

She leans back against the wall and watches for a few seconds before interrupting his tinkering again. She leans forward, looks into Kankurous' face and says, "Why doesn't he? Don't you know everything needs a name? If not, it stays weak and will die. Faster. Why do you think our parents give us names? And since that puppet is like your child, you should give him a name. By the way, my name is Kamen."

Kankurou looks away from his puppet to the annoying talkative girl and asks, "Isn't Kamen a name for boys?"

Kaman shrugs, happy to finally get Kankurou to talk. She asks eagerly, "So, do you want some help naming him? I'm great at figuring stuff out."

He shrugs and goes back to his puppet. With an air of boredness he says, "Maybe some other time, okay?"

She nods, obviously excited at the prospect. "I just moved here. My parents have always been traveling, but ever since my dad got injured real bad and mama died, we decided to settle down, but I think I'm gonna be a part of all the ninja of the Sand Village. I've always been learning how to fight and stealth has always been second-nature to me, so I'm not worried. But I'm definitely gonna wear a mask. You can't have a name that means mask and not wear 'em. Right?"

Kankurou just shrugs, appearing uninterested.

Kamen looks around, realizing that it's getting pretty dark out. She stands up and stretches, then looks down at Kankurou and says, "Hey, I'm going home now. You should probably go home, too. We should hang out again tomorrow, okay? I really enjoyed this."

She walks away, not in any hurry. Now alone with his thoughts and his puppet, Kankurou watches this strange new girl walk away. He says aloud to no one in particular, in a voice so low, even the wind and his puppet could barely hear him, "I liked it, too. Kamen-chan."

-End-

(To be Continued)


	2. Chapter 2, Times to Remember

Chapter 2 – Times to Remember

Fast forward two years

Kankurou and Kamen are walking hand in hand, a slight grin on Kankurous' face and a much bigger one on Kamens'. They are both eleven years old now and their friendship has mutated.

Kamens' dark brown hair looks less like a boys' and more like a girls', but it's still no longer than shoulder-length. Her face is slightly more feminine, but her clothes are still too big. At least they're clean now. She wears black pants with a short-sleeved light-brown shirt.

Kankurou groans in exasperation, chuckles and moans out, "Kamen, come on, spill the good news already! I want to know what you're so excited about. It's unfair of you to keep me waiting so long, not even telling me during dinner."

Kamen laughs and just barely stops herself from squealing. She starts to twirl her hair with her free hand, avoiding Kankurous' gaze. "Y'know how my daddy makes our masks, but didn't want me having one until he thought I was ready?"

Kankurou nods and gestures for her to go on.

"Well, he's finally gonna make my mask for me! Oh, this is the best, it's gonna be done by the end of the week and I can't wait!"

The couple has made it to their destination, Kankurous' home. They've been switching between his house and hers ever since they started being friends.

They stand in front of the doorway, facing each other. Kankurou grasps both her hands in his and says, "I hope he makes it as pretty as you."

She giggles and replies, "Thanks, Kanky."

Kankurous' expression instantly changes to unamused. "Kanky? Really?"

She smiles teasingly up at him. "Yeah, really. Kanky is officially my nickname for you."

He shakes his head. "Fine. But, you're the only one allowed to call me that. I won't tolerate anyone else."

"Okay". Kamen leans up and forward to reach Kankurous' lips and kisses him. He returns it, completely relaxed until the door opens and the two instantly pull apart, slightly embarrassed. Temari looks at the lovers on her doorstep and punches Kankurou on the shoulder none too gently. Temari winks at Kamen before looking back at Kankurou and asking, "Having fun infecting your little girlfriend with whatever weird diseases you've got, huh?"

He just glares at Temari and stalks inside, looking back just long enough to shoot Kamen a look that says, "I'll see you again tomorrow."

She waves at the siblings and yells, "See you then!"

Then she walks away.

-End-

(To be Continued)


	3. Chapter 3, Her Saddest Day

Chapter 3 – Her saddest day

A week after Kamen has received her mask.

Kankurou is standing outside the door to Kamens' house, waiting for an answer. He's been knocking for ten minutes, on and off.

He sighs and sits beside the doorway, his head resting on his hands.

Where the hell could she be? She wanted me to meet her here. I can't be too late, can I?

After sitting there, waiting for about a half hour, Kankurou sees Temari and Kamen coming toward him. He notices that something is wrong, deeply wrong, when he sees that Kamen is crying, while his sister is supporting her and holding her mask. Kamen never cries. He stands and runs to the girls as they come closer, "What's going on? What's happened? Kamen?"

Kamen doesn't respond, but Temari barks at Kankurou, "Open the door and help me get her to the couch, baka!"

Too worried to bother with a smart-ass comment back at Temari, he nods and runs back to the house, hurriedly opening the door just in time for Temari to bring Kamen through. He follows them in, closes the door, and dashes over to the couch, taking his place next to Kamen. The question he already asked is sketched clear on his face while he looks into Kamens'.

She wipes her face on her sleeve and looks at Kankurou. With a sniffle here and there, she starts in, "Y'know how my dad's been in such poor health lately?" Kankurou nods. She continues, "Well, when he was out drinking with his friends last night and never made it home… He was found dead this morning. His heart just stopped. Now he's gone and I've only got you two."

Kankurou puts his arm around Kamen and stays silent now, not knowing what to do, unfamiliar in the art of comforting.

Temari suggests to Kankurou, "Why don't you take her upstairs and get her to bed, huh? I'll leave you two alone and head home."

He nods and all three stand at the same time. Temari goes outside, while Kankurou awkwardly brings Kamen up the steps and to her room, pausing at the doorway and asking, "Should I wait outside while you change?"

She shakes her head, "No, I'll just go to sleep in my clothes. You can leave now, Kanky. I'll be fine."

He watches her go in and lay down, stands there for a few seconds just watching over her, before leaving without a word.

-End-

(To be Continued)


	4. Chapter 4, A Field Trip?

Chapter 4 – A Field Trip?

A couple weeks later, one week before Kamens' twelfth birthday

Kankurou and Kamen are lying on top of Kamens' roof, star-gazing side by side. Kamen has been unusually quiet ever since her fathers' death and it's gotten Kankurou worried. He's been trying to think of the best gift to give her for her birthday and he finally thinks he's figured it out. He wants to make a small puppet that would look exactly like her, at what he thinks is her prettiest. The only problem is, the sole place the wood he wants to use is in an underground grove. It's dangerous to get there and the wood is too valuable, but Kankurou is determined. His Kamen needs cheering up.

Kamen points at a clump of stars and Kankurou looks at the clump, wondering what she likes about it.

"That tiny star. Is it just me or does it look like the stars around it are trying to suffocate it?"

Kankurou finds her hand and squeezes it, and says, "Maybe… Or perhaps they're trying to show how much they love it…?"

Kamen shakes her head.

Kankurou had had enough and sits up, looks down at a now surprised Kamen, and asks, "Are you ready?"

With a mask of confusion on her face, Kamen asks, "For what? What do you have up your sleeve?"

Kankurou pulls her up with a crazed look in his eyes, "We're going on a field trip. As part of your first birthday present this year. Go pack enough food for a couple days, at most."

Kamen is grinning at the prospect, but then asks, "Wherever we're going, won't we get in trouble for trying to leave the village?"

Kankurou shakes his head, "Nope. We're gonna sneak out."

Kamen nods, understanding Kankurous' plan and jumps down from the roof, hurrying inside to grab the stuff.

Kankurou smiles, thinking to himself, "I hope this fucking works…"

-End-

(To be Continued)


	5. Chapter 5, Heading Out

Chapter 5- Heading Out

After successfully sneaking out of Sunagakure, the pair search the desert for a week before finding the entrance to the underground grove. They tumble in and are amazed to see that all the trees are a beautiful shade of purple that's very light.

Kamen walks over to the prettiest one and after running her hand over it, with a gaping mouth and wide eyes asks, "Did you plan on ending up at this pla- Wait. You're gonna make a puppet out of this wood, aren't you?"

Kankurou, who had followed Kamen, smiles slyly and replies, "Yeah, but this puppet's gonna be a special one. It's gonna be one that looks like you and I'm gonna give it to you for your birthday."

Kamen teasingly punches Kankurou in the shoulder. "I'm sure it'll be lovely."

Kankurou pulls an axe out from underneath the back of his shirt and cuts the tree down carefully, so as not to damage it. Once it's down, Kankurou notices that it's gotten quiet, too quiet. He straps the tree to his back at an angle and looks around, confused as to why he doesn't see Kamen. Then, he hears a muffled shout of his name, coming from further in the grove.

Shit. It sounds like she's in trouble. But, I thought this place was deserted?!

Kankurou rushes ahead, getting further and further from the safety of the entrance. And he sees it. His love with her clothes torn, dirtied, and bloody, a huge gash on the side of her face. She's held up by a giant of a man, his hand completely covering her neck, a grim smile on her face, his grip so tight that Kamen can't speak, but just loose enough so that he's not strangling her. Kankurou is staring at this horror, too stunned at the unthinkable to move, eyes wide, mouth gaping.

The giant laughs and his voice booms out with a command, "Leave here, boy. Leave all the wood an' yore axe, too. Hurry, or my grip on yore little friend 'ere might tight up a bit too much."

Kankurous' mind only registers the immediate danger upon the life of his girl and charges.

-End-

(To be Continued.)


	6. Chapter 6, Escape

Chapter 6- Escape

Kankurou pulls out his axe again and runs toward the giant, swinging ferociously. The giant jumps out of the way, causing the axe to instead get caught in the wall. In his anger, Kankurou pulls out the axe without thinking and the walls start to shake.

The giant panics, squeezing Kamens' neck just enough more so that it breaks. Realizing his mistake and the impending danger, he tosses Kamens' body aside like a rag doll and sprints toward the exit. Kankurou grabs Kamen and runs in the same direction as the giant.

Upon reaching the exit, Kankurou finds that the giant is still here and the exit has collapsed. The shaking walls are coming closer and the trees are trembling like frightened children. Kankurou jumps on the giants' shoulder, using him as leverage to get through a hole in the cave roof. A falling tree hits him in the back of his head as he goes through the opening, rendering him unconscious as he falls to the calm ground, clutching Kamen.

The Next Day

Kankurou opens his eyes, then closes them, blinded by the light. He groans and turns onto his side, enjoying the cool warmth of his blanket and pillow. His comfort is interrupted by Temaris' obnoxious voice, scolding him. "A fine thing you did there." Kankurou uses his hand to shield his eyes and opens them, looking at Temari like she's nuts.

"Whud you mean?"

Temari shakes her head, not approving of her brothers' actions in the slightest. "Kamen. The cave. That wood. Not only could you have got yourself killed, Kamen's dead. All this trouble you've caused, I don't know who's worse, you or Gaara."

-End-

(To be Continued)


	7. Chapter 7, The Aftermath

Chapter 7- The Aftermath

One Week Later

After hearing Temari chew him out and remembering all the details himself, Kankurou kicked his sister out of his room, snuck the wood inside, and procured any and all tools he may need. Since then, he's locked himself inside his room, only sneaking out a couple times a day for bodily necessities.

Temari is worried at the extended absence of her brother. She goes to the door to his room and knocks, trying to keep her voice soft as she asks, "Kankurou, I know you're in there. Why don't you let me in, huh?"

She hears Kankurou let out a grunt-like, "Go away."

Deciding to give it one last shot, Temari pleads, "Please, Kanky? I'm worried."

She's barely done with her sentence before she jumps back as something hits the door, hard.

Her temper flares at this and she yells, "Fine! Be that way, but don't come crying to me when you can't get a girl 'cause you're too much of a stinkin' recluse, livin' off my fame!" After yelling her piece, Temari stalks off and Kankurou shrugs off her tirade. He's working on the finishing touches of his newest creation, a puppet that's as tall and wide as he remembers Kamen had been when she was alive. With the lights turned almost all the way down, Kankurou is letting out most of all the tears he's ever cried in his life. He mutters to himself, "They'll never understand. I don't deserve anything more than my puppets. I had my chance; no one else will approach me. The only good thing about this is that I won't have any explaining to do to her parents."

At this he punches through his window and yells, "Because they're already dead!"

This seeming insanity lasts for two more weeks, after which Kankurou never mentions Kamen and no one ever sees his most costly puppet. She sure is a beauty, though.

-End-

(To Never be Continued)


End file.
